1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to material collection systems or bagging attachments for lawn mowing vehicles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many front mount mowing vehicles having front driven wheels and at least one steerable rear wheel have been provided with material collection systems for containing the clippings that have been cut by the vehicle's mowing deck. Many such mowers carry the material collection systems behind the operator's seat. The clippings that are cut in front of the vehicle within the mower deck are propelled rearwardly around the operator through a tube and are received at the rear of the vehicle by a container. Such vehicles are very maneuverable in the forward direction since the containers are carried high on the rear of the vehicles and do not extend a great distance outwardly from the direction of travel. These containers do not significantly add to the width or length of the vehicle, and therefore the amount of space or clearance needed for the vehicle to get around a sharp turn is relatively small. Because these containers are mounted high on the rear of the vehicle the operator's view to the rear is often obstructed when traveling in the reverse direction. Also, the vehicle's center of gravity is raised since the container filled with clippings is positioned relatively high on the vehicle. Consequently, the stability of a vehicle carrying a container in such a high position is decreased when operating on side slopes. Many mowers provide containers carried low on the rear of the vehicles whereby the stability on side slopes remains substantially unaffected, however, in order to lower the containers they must be placed behind or on the side of the engine mounted at the rear of the vehicle, thereby increasing the length or width of the vehicle with the consequence that the turning radius of the vehicle is increased.
Conventional mowers have provided trailers for pulling the collection containers behind the vehicle. Many trailers are hitched to the vehicle to pivot horizontally about the hitch point when executing a turn. Since ground engaging wheels carry most of the weight of the container and trailer, the center of gravity of the vehicle is generally not affected by the trailer. However, the trailer can obstruct the operator's view when traveling in reverse, and the pivotal connection between the trailer and vehicle can make maneuvering in the reverse direction difficult.
Trailers for carrying material containers have been provided having rigid connections to the vehicle. Since the hitches are rigid, the weight of the trailer and material container together with the material located therein is transferred to the vehicle during operation and thereby changes the vehicle's center of gravity. The vehicle's stability on side slopes can therefore be adversely affected by these trailers. Some rigidly connected trailers provide caster wheels for engaging the ground beneath the trailer. These wheels act to carry a portion of the trailer's weight, but only when the wheel is in contact with the ground. Since the rigid trailers extend significantly rearwardly of the vehicle, the clearance required during execution of a turn is increased.
Another type of conventional material collection system is rigidly mounted to the side of the vehicle. Since side mounted collection systems are closer to the point of discharge of the grass from the mower deck than the rear mounted or trailer mounted containers, the distance the grass must travel is smaller. Therefore many side mounted containers do not require the attachment of a blower or other propelling mechanism for moving clippings to the container. If a propelling mechanism is provided, it can be smaller than is required when the containers are rear mounted or trailer mounted. While visibility and maneuverability to the rear is not generally affected by side mounted collection systems, when such systems are connected so as to be supported by the vehicle, the vehicle's center of gravity is caused to be shifted outwardly during operation. The vehicle is therefore less stable when traveling over a side slope. Many of these mowers provide for the attachment of weights to the side of the vehicle opposite the collection system to counteract the shifting of the center of gravity associated with the weight of the container and materials collected thereby so as to make the vehicle more stable. However, counterweights add expense to the material collection system and consume the operator's time when attaching and removing the collection system. Such side mounted collection systems do not increase the width of the rear corners of the vehicle, but often increase the overall width of the vehicle so as to require a wider clearance to maneuver.